This invention relates to fire protection materials, and, more particularly, to a moldable elastomeric intumescent composition.
Various methods exist for the protection of persons and property against fire. Among these methods is the use of flame retardant materials, which generally comprise intumescent composite compounds that swell and form ceramic-like sponges when exposed to the high temperatures generally associated with fires. Typically, intumescent materials are incorporated into coatings or paints and are most often formed into mat-like structures that may be placed between a high fire risk apparatus and an apparatus or area for which fire protection is desired.
Intumescent coatings are generally used on the wall surfaces of buildings, ships, aircraft, motor vehicles, or other vessels intended for human occupancy and which are susceptible to fires. The nature of the intumescent coating allows its thickness to be kept at a minimum until it is activated by high temperatures at which point the coating expands. Such intumescent coatings contain film-forming resins that, upon being subjected to high temperatures, undergo molecular changes that result in corresponding changes in physical properties such as a reduced ability to conduct heat. The intumescent coatings also contain ingredients that will react upon heating to generate gases and form an incombustible or low combustible residue, e.g., char. The expelled gases expand the residue or char into a foam having thermal insulating properties. In many instances a considerable portion of the char produced is a carbon material; the reaction product formed by the dehydration of a polyhydric substance such as a polyalcohol. The char forming reactions of the ingredients occur within the intumescent coating so that when the coating film is heated to beyond a specific elevated temperature, intumescent additives, such as polyhydric alcohol, ammonium hydrogen phosphate and hydrated magnesia, are decomposed, thereby generating water, carbon dioxide, ammonia, and/or other heat absorbing gases that do not readily support combustion. However, although intumescent coatings are readily available, their application to a surface requires a lengthy and complicated process. Often times, a primer is required to promote adhesion to the surface. In addition, the primer and/or intumescent coating require a substantial drying time, sometimes as long as many hours. When these primed intumescent coatings are exposed to fire and intumesce, the coatings transform into a weak sponge that cannot withstand raging drafts and thermal expansion forces that occur as a result of the fire. Oftentimes as a result, the intumescent coating provides only limited protection for a short period of time.
Intumescent mat-like structures are often used in place of coatings to avoid such problems associated with such intumescent coatings. Typically in these flexible intumescent mat-like structures, multiple layers of fire resistant materials having intumescent materials located therebetween form a flexible wrap that provides a consistent and effective fire protection system when the intumescent materials expand. Although such flexible mat-like structures can be manufactured to have sufficient flexibility to conform to the shape of an object to be protected (e.g., conduits, electrical cable, etc.), the mat-like structures require additional hardware or an adhesive in order to be held into place.
Therefore, there exists a need for a moldable elastomeric intumescent thermoplastic material having intumescent properties and capable of conforming to objects without the use of adhesives or their equivalents.
A mixture for making a moldable intumescent elastomeric thermoplastic material, comprising based on one hundred parts of said mixture: about 40 to about 60 parts of chlorinated polyethylene; up to about 15 parts of high-density polyethylene; about 5 to about 10 parts of a plasticizer; about 10 to about 20 parts of a water emitting substance selected from the group consisting of hydrated magnesium oxide, magnesium hydroxide and mixtures thereof; up to about 10 parts of at least one gas generating compound selected from the group consisting of ammonium dihydrogen phosphate, ammonium polyphosphate and mixtures thereof; about 3 to about 10 parts of a char former selected from the group consisting of polyhydric alcohols, carbohydrates, starch and mixtures thereof; about 1 to about 7 parts of antimony oxide; about 2 to about 12 parts of a filler material selected from the group consisting of graphite, water intercalated graphite, mica, titanium dioxide and mixtures thereof; and about 0.25 to about 2 parts of a stabilizer selected from the group consisting of thio based antioxidants, hindered phenol antioxidants and mixtures thereof.
A moldable intumescent elastomeric composition, comprising based on one hundred parts of said composition: about 40 to about 60 parts of chlorinated polyethylene; up to about 15 parts of high-density polyethylene; about 5 to about 10 parts of a plasticizer; about 10 to about 20 parts of a water emitting substance selected from the group consisting of hydrated magnesium oxide, magnesium hydroxide and mixtures thereof; up to about 10 parts of at least one gas generating compound selected from the group consisting of ammonium dihydrogen phosphate, ammonium polyphosphate and mixtures thereof; about 3 to about 10 parts of a char former selected from the group consisting of polyhydric alcohols, carbohydrates, starch and mixtures thereof; about 1 to about 7 parts of antimony oxide; about 2 to about 12 parts of a filler material selected from the group consisting of graphite, mica, titanium dioxide and mixtures thereof; about 0.25 to about 2 parts of a stabilizer selected from the group consisting of thio based antioxidants, hindered phenol antioxidants and mixtures thereof; up to about 5 parts of a curing agent; and up to about 3 parts of a co-curing agent or an accelerator.
An intumescent elastomeric composition, comprising based on one hundred parts of said composition: about 55 parts of chlorinated polyethylene; up to about 15 parts of high-density polyethylene; about 7 parts of a plasticizer; about 15 parts of a water emitting substance selected from the group consisting of hydrated magnesium oxide, magnesium hydroxide and mixtures thereof; about 8 parts of at least one gas generating compound selected from the group consisting of ammonium dihydrogen phosphate, ammonium polyphosphate and mixtures thereof; about 3 to about 10 parts of a char former selected from the group consisting of polyhydric alcohols, carbohydrates, starch and mixtures thereof; about 1 to about 7 parts of antimony oxide; about 2 to about 12 parts of a filler material selected from the group consisting of graphite, graphite having intercalated water, mica, titanium dioxide and mixtures thereof; about 0.25 to about 5 parts of a stabilizer comprising a mixture of distearylthiodipropionate and hindered phenol in equal parts; about 0.001 to about 5 parts of a curing agent; and up to about 3 parts of a co-curing agent or an accelerator.
A molded article, comprising based on one hundred parts of said article: about 40 to about 60 parts of chlorinated polyethylene; up to about 5 parts of a curing agent; up to about 3 parts of a co-curing agent or an accelerator; up to about 15 parts of high-density polyethylene; about 5 to about 10 parts of a plasticizer; about 10 to about 20 parts of a water emitting substance selected from the group consisting of hydrated magnesium oxide, magnesium hydroxide and mixtures thereof; up to about 10 parts of at least one gas generating compound selected from the group consisting of ammonium dihydrogen phosphate, ammonium polyphosphate and mixtures thereof; about 3 to about 10 parts of a char former selected from the group consisting of polyhydric alcohols, carbohydrates, starch and mixtures thereof; about 1 to about 7 parts of antimony oxide; about 2 to about 12 parts of a filler material selected from the group consisting of graphite, mica, titanium dioxide and mixtures thereof; and about 0.25 to about 2 parts of a stabilizer selected from the group consisting of thio based antioxidants, hindered phenol antioxidants and mixtures thereof.
A composite material, comprising: a reinforcing material selected from the group consisting of steel, plastic, wood, carbon, and combinations comprising at least one of the foregoing; an intumescent polymer binder comprising based on one hundred parts of said binder: about 60 parts chlorinated polyethylene; up to about 5 parts of a curing agent; up to about 3 parts of a co-curing agent or an accelerator; up to about 15 parts high-density polyethylene; about 7 parts plasticizer; about 15 parts hydrated magnesium oxide; about 0.5 parts distearylthiodipropionate; about 0.5 parts hindered phenol; about 5 parts antimony oxide; about 5 parts pentaerythritol; and about 4 to about 12 parts graphite.
A coated article, comprising: a substrate having an intumescent polymer applied thereupon, wherein said intumescent polymer comprises based on one hundred parts of said polymer: about 60 parts of chlorinated polyethylene; up to about 15 parts of high-density polyethylene; about 5 to about 10 parts plasticizer; about 15 parts of a water emitting substance selected from the group consisting of hydrated magnesium oxide, magnesium hydroxide and mixtures thereof; up to about 10 parts of at least one gas generating compound selected from the group consisting of ammonium dihydrogen phosphate, ammonium polyphosphate and mixtures thereof; about 3 to about 10 parts of a char former selected from the group consisting of polyhydric alcohols, carbohydrates, starch and mixtures thereof; about 2 to about 5 parts of antimony oxide; about 2 to about 12 parts of a filler material selected from the group consisting of graphite, graphite containing intercalated water, mica, titanium dioxide and mixtures thereof; and about 0.25 to about 2 parts of a stabilizer selected from the group consisting of thio based antioxidants, hindered phenol antioxidants and mixtures thereof.
A method for forming a moldable intumescent elastomeric composition, comprising based on one hundred parts of said composition: combining under shear at a temperature and for a time sufficient in order to form said composition about 60 parts of chlorinated polyethylene, up to about 15 parts of high-density polyethylene, about 5 to about 10 parts plasticizer, about 10 to about 20 parts of a water emitting substance selected from the group consisting of hydrated magnesium oxide, magnesium hydroxide and mixtures thereof, about 3 to about 10 parts of a char former selected from the group consisting of polyhydric alcohols, carbohydrates, starch and mixtures thereof, about 1 to about 7 parts of antimony oxide, about 0.25 to about 2 parts of a stabilizer selected from the group consisting of thio based antioxidants, hindered phenol antioxidants and mixtures thereof, up to about 10 parts of at least one gas generating compound selected from the group consisting of ammonium dihydrogen phosphate, ammonium polyphosphate and mixtures thereof, about 2 to about 12 parts of a filler material selected from the group consisting of graphite, mica, titanium dioxide and mixtures thereof, up to about 5 parts of a curing agent, and up to about 3 parts of a co-curing agent or an accelerator.
A method for forming a molded article composed in part of an intumescent elastomeric composition, comprising: introducing an elastomeric intumescent composition into a mold, wherein said elastomeric intumescent thermoplastic composition comprises based on one hundred parts of said composition: about 40 to about 60 parts of chlorinated polyethylene; up to about 5 parts of a curing agent; up to about 3 parts of a co-curing agent or an accelerator; up to about 15 parts of high-density polyethylene; about 5 to about 10 parts plasticizer; about 10 to about 20 parts of a water emitting substance selected from the group consisting of hydrated magnesium oxide, magnesium hydroxide and mixtures thereof; up to about 10 parts of at least one gas generating compound selected from the group consisting of ammonium dihydrogen phosphate, ammonium polyphosphate and mixtures thereof; about 3 to about 10 parts of char former selected from the group consisting of polyhydric alcohols, carbohydrates, starch and mixtures thereof; about 1 to about 7 parts of antimony oxide; about 2 to about 12 parts of a filler material selected from the group consisting of graphite, mica, titanium dioxide and mixtures thereof; and about 0.25 to about 2 parts of a stabilizer selected from the group consisting of thio based antioxidants and hindered phenol antioxidants and mixtures thereof; and forming said molded article.
A method for forming a coated article, comprising: disposing an intumescent elastomeric composition onto an article; and forming a coating on said article; wherein said intumescent elastomeric composition comprises based on one hundred parts of said composition: about 40 to about 60 parts of chlorinated polyethylene; up to about 5 parts of a curing agent; up to about 3 parts of a co-curing agent; up to about 15 parts of high-density polyethylene; about 5 to about 10 parts plasticizer; about 10 to about 20 parts of a water emitting substance selected from the group consisting of hydrated magnesium oxide, magnesium hydroxide and mixtures thereof; up to about 10 parts of at least one gas generating compound selected from the group consisting of ammonium dihydrogen phosphate, ammonium polyphosphate and mixtures thereof; about 3 to about 10 parts of a char former selected from the group consisting of polyhydric alcohols, carbohydrates, starch and mixtures thereof; about 1 to about 7 parts of antimony oxide; about 2 to about 12 parts of a filler material selected from the group consisting of graphite, mica, titanium dioxide and mixtures thereof; and about 0.25 to about 2 parts of a stabilizer selected from the group consisting of thio based antioxidants, hindered phenol antioxidants and mixtures thereof.
The above described and other features are exemplified by the following figures and detailed description.